Extendable oven rack assembly

ABSTRACT

An extendable oven rack assembly includes an oven rack adapted for positioning in an oven cavity. The rack is supported on two telescoping extension slides shaped for being received in support slots or ledges of an oven cavity. The telescoping extension slides are made of at least a first section received in fixed position within an oven. At least a second section is slidable in relationship to the first section and can be extended out of the oven. The second section supports the oven rack thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an extendable oven rack assembly for use in anoven. More particularly, the invention relates to an extendable ovenrack including telescoping slides for use in an oven cavity and formaximum extension, out of the oven.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

In cooking appliances such as ovens, or free standing ranges whichinclude ovens, the oven cavity is typically populated with one or moreracks to support food items being cooked in the oven. The oven cavitiesinclude a plurality of sets of slots, ledges or wire rack supports(hereinafter “oven supports”) in the opposite side walls thereof whichallow the oven racks to be slidably received within the oven cavity. Theoven supports also typically include an upward projection near the frontof the oven cavity which often serves as a stop against a correspondingprojection both in the front and in the back of an oven rack to preventthe oven rack from being pulled completely out of the oven whensupporting food thereon, and to prevent the oven rack from being pushedtoo far back into the oven to avoid contact between the rear of the ovenrack and the interior back wall of the oven cavity.

In these types of arrangements, due to the fact that the oven rack mustbe supported over a substantial portion thereof by the oven supports ofthe oven cavity, the amount which the rack can be extended out of theoven cavity is limited. This results in difficulty in positioning fooditems on such racks or in removing the food items from the rack. Thisalso creates a danger that the person removing or replacing such itemson the oven rack may inadvertently contact the hot walls of the ovencavity.

More recently, in order to avoid these problems, there have beendesigned extendable rack arrangements for use in an oven cavity whichallow a rack to be extended well out of an oven cavity, includingso-called over extension racks. One design involves a rack assemblywhich includes a rack extendable upon a primary rack frame, which isitself mounted for sliding movement relative to the oven cavity. Therack is supported upon guides carried by the rack frame with multiplesets of rollers. While desirable from the perspective of allowinggreater extension of the oven rack out of the cavity of the oven, thistype of arrangement takes up a substantial amount of additional spacewithin an oven cavity due to the fact that it is essentially a doublerack arrangement, with each rack separated from each other by a spaceconsuming roller mechanism. As such, while desirable from theperspective of allowing a rack to be extended outside of the ovencavity, this type of rack arrangement substantially decreases theuseable volume in an oven cavity, particularly when multiple rackassemblies of this type are used.

While providing a more simplified arrangement than a double rackassembly, this design still suffers from the requirement of having acompound rack system wherein two racks are required, one being a wireframe rack and the other being the actual rack that holds the food beingcooked in the oven.

In accordance with the invention, the problems of the extendable ovenracks in current use are avoided, and an oven rack assembly is providedwhich allows full over-extension of an oven rack outside of an ovencavity, ensures that the oven rack is securely held by the rack supportsof the oven cavity, and avoids the disadvantages of additional spaceconsumed by current extendable oven rack assemblies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, there is disclosed an extendable oven rack assembly. Theoven rack assembly includes an oven rack adapted for positioning in anoven cavity. Two telescoping extension slides are shaped or haveattachment features thereon for being received in the rack supports inthe walls of an oven cavity. The slides include a first section forbeing received in fixed position in a corresponding rack support of theoven cavity and at least a second section in sliding relationship to thecorresponding first section. Each one of the second sections have theoven rack supported thereon.

In a more specific aspect, there is provided an extendable oven rackassembly which includes an oven rack adapted for positioning in an ovencavity. The rack includes support extensions extending the length of thesides of the oven rack. Each support extension has at least oneengagement section. The two telescoping extension slides, a respectiveone corresponding to one of the support extensions, also includeengagement sections for receiving the oven rack thereon throughengagement between the oven rack engagement section and that of thetelescoping extension slides. The telescoping extension slides are madeup of at least two sections. A first section is constructed for beingreceived in fixed position within the oven cavity in the rack supportson the side walls of the oven cavity. A second section is slidablyengaged with the first section and supports the oven rack for allowingthe oven rack to be slidably moved out of the oven cavity.

In a preferred aspect, the extension slides are made up of threesections. Two sections are slidable in relation to each other, and withrespect to the first section which is held in fixed position in the ovencavity.

Yet still further, the oven rack assembly includes a tab extending fromat least one of the first sections in proximity to the rear thereof. Acorresponding spring clip extends from at least one of the slidablesections for engaging the tab when the oven rack assembly is fullyretracted in the oven cavity. This serves to inhibit the oven rack fromsliding out of the oven cavity without a person pulling on the rack. Yetstill more preferably, a second tab extends from at least one of thefirst sections in proximity to the front thereof for engaging the springclip for retaining the oven rack in position when the extendable ovenrack assembly is in substantial fully extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Having briefly described the invention, the same will become betterunderstood from the following detailed description, made with referenceto the appended drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disassembled telescoping oven rackassembly embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the oven rack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the telescoping oven rack assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the telescoping oven rack assembly;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the oven rack of the telescoping oven rackassembly;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views of two spring clip elementembodiments located at the area shown as circle A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective partial view of the spring clip of FIG. 6Aattached to a telescoping extension slide;

FIG. 8 is a perspective partial view of the telescoping extension slideshown partially extended; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective partial view of the front portion of one of thetelescoping extension slides.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disassembled telescoping rack assembly11 in accordance with the invention. The rack assembly 11 includes anoven rack 13 having a pair of extensions 15 along the side thereof. Theextensions 15, when the oven rack assembly 11 is assembled, rest on onesection of a telescoping extension slide 17 on each side of the ovenrack 13 respectively. The extensions 15 include respective slots 19which receive respective projections 21 of the telescoping extensionslide 17 as they are assembled together. In addition, the front of eachone of the telescoping extension slides 17 include a cap 31, so that theopen front end 20 is not exposed to catch food particles or clothing.The front ends 20 each also include a securing hole 22, which matcheswith corresponding holes 24 in the slides 17. The slides 17 and theextensions 15 can be attached to one another through the holes 22, 24,such as by rivets or other fasteners.

The telescoping slides 17 also include feet 23 and 25, which serve tosupport the telescoping slides 17 on the support racks in the side wallsof an oven (not illustrated) in which the rack assembly 11 is received,and whose structure and function will be described in greater detailhereinafter.

The oven rack assembly 11 also includes a tab 27 within the regionidentified as circle A, on at least one of the telescoping extensionslides 17, and preferably on both. The function of the tab 27 is alsodiscussed in greater detail hereinafter.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the oven rack 13 of the invention. Asillustrated in both FIGS. 1 and 2, the oven rack 13 includes a pair ofupwardly extending wire members 29 at the rear of the rack 13 whichserve to prevent food articles and/or plates from falling off the backof the rack 13. The rack 13 is of otherwise conventional construction ina grid pattern made up by substantially perpendicular fixedly attachedwire members 33 and 35.

As further shown in FIG. 3, a first section of each of the telescopingextension slides 17 include the feet 23 and 25, and the tab 27. The feet23 and 25 serve to allow the oven rack assembly 11 to be supported in afixed position within an oven cavity on the support racks therein. Thetelescoping extension slides 17 include at least one other section intelescoping sliding relationship relative to the first section. This ismore clearly shown in FIG. 8 which shows a first section 26 and a secondsection 28. In a more preferred embodiment, the telescoping extensionslides 17 are three part slides with two of the parts in slidingrelationship to section 26 for allowing the rack 13 to be extendedsubstantially outside of the oven cavity in the so-called over extensionposition. The sliding relationship is provided by internal rollers (notillustrated) between the sliding sections.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate in greater detail the wire members 29 whichkeep food items from falling off the back of the oven rack 13. The sideextensions 15 are also shown as being of generally L-shape to sit on thetelescoping extension slides 17, for securing thereto in thisembodiment. The side extensions 15 also could just include upstandingparallel portions 26 and the extensions 15 could be attached to the sidewalls of the slide 17 with the parallel portions 26 (not illustrated)omitting the top portions 30 (FIG. 5).

As shown in greater detail in FIG. 9, the feet 23 also include on oneside a cutout portion 32 which serves to engage a projection within thesupporting channel or support slot (not illustrated) in an oven to keepthe telescoping extension slide 17 from being inadvertently pulled outof the oven cavity. The feet 23 also include the tab 27 on the sidefacing the inside of the oven which will serve as the engagement tab 27for the spring 37 shown in FIG. 6A, and discussed hereafter.

The spring 37 in FIG. 6A is not shown in the area identified as circle Ain FIG. 1, but is more clearly shown in operation in FIGS. 7 and 8. Thespring 37 has a first portion 39, which preferably is integrally formedwith a connecting portion 41 formed at a substantially right anglethereto and with a spring tab portion 43 formed at an angle to the firstportion 39. More specifically, when the telescoping extension slide 17is fully retracted into the oven, the spring tab portion 43 passesbehind the tab 27 and serves as the structure for providing resistanceto the oven rack 13 and sections 28 of the telescoping slide 17 toprevent the oven rack 13 from moving easily out of the oven cavity byitself. More specifically, when it is desired to pull the oven rack 13out of the oven, as shown in FIG. 8, the spring tab portion 43 isbrought out of engagement with the tab 27 and the section 28 of thetelescoping extension slide by a person pulling firmly on the oven rack13 to overcome the spring resistance. The slide 17 then moves easilyrelative to section 26, to move the oven rack 13 supported thereon outof the oven cavity.

Thereafter, when the telescoping extension slide 17 is in fully extendedposition with the section 28 and the oven rack 13 is fully extended(over-extended) out of the oven, the tab portion 43 of the springelement 37 comes in contact with the tab portion of the feet 23 at thefront of the portion of the telescoping slide 17 to abut against thatportion, and provides a means to retain the oven rack 13 in an outwardlyextended position. The person then pushes against the rack 13 toovercome the resistance of the spring tab portion 43 and move the ovenrack 13 back into the oven when desired.

Referring now to FIG. 6B, an alternate spring element 37′ isillustrated. The alternate spring element 37′ includes the same elementsas the spring element 37, but in a more simple configuration. The spring37′ also has a first portion 39′, which again preferably is integrallyformed with a connecting portion 41′, but in this embodiment the twoportions 39′ and 41′ are formed planar with one another. The firstportion 39′ again has a spring tab portion 43′ formed at an angle to thefirst portion 39′, which functions identically to the spring tab portion43, as previously described.

The extendable oven rack assembly 11 of the invention is preferably madeof steel, more preferably stainless steel, of a nature and quality,which is resistant to the highest temperatures of an oven in which it isused without suffering substantial deterioration as a result of exposureto such temperatures. Other parts of the oven rack 13 can be made ofcoated carbon steel. The telescoping extension slides 17 may containgrease therein between the sections thereof to facilitate slidingmovement between the various parts. The grease, as will also beappreciated to those of ordinary skill in the art, will be of a natureand type also capable of resisting normal oven baking temperatureswithout deterioration.

Having thus generally described the invention, the same will becomebetter understood from the appended claims from which it is set forth ina non-limiting manner.

1. An extendable oven rack assembly, comprising: an oven rack adaptedfor positioning in an oven cavity; two telescoping extension slidesshaped for being received in support slots in walls of an oven cavity,and having a first section for being received in fixed position in acorresponding support slot of an oven cavity and at least one secondsection in sliding relation to a corresponding first section; and eachone of said at least one second section having said oven rack supportedthereon.
 2. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 1, furtherincluding resistance means for providing resistance against the ovenrack sliding out of the oven cavity when in substantially fullyretracted position.
 3. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 2,further including resistance means for retaining the oven rack inposition to prevent movement thereof when in substantially fullyextended position.
 4. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 2,wherein said resistance means includes a spring clip extending from saidsecond section in proximity to the rear thereof, and a first tabextending from said first section in proximity to the rear thereof forbeing engaged by said spring clip.
 5. The extendable oven rack assemblyof claim 4, wherein said lock means include a second tab extending fromsaid first section in proximity to the front thereof for being engagedby said spring clip when said oven rack is substantially in fullyextended position.
 6. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 1,wherein said oven rack assembly is made of steel capable of resistingthe highest temperature of an oven in which it is used without sufferingsubstantial deterioration thereof as a result of use at saidtemperature.
 7. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 6, furtherincluding grease applied between said first sections and said secondsections to facilitate sliding engagement therebetween, said greasebeing of the type capable of withstanding normal oven bakingtemperatures without substantial deterioration.
 8. An extendable ovenrack assembly, comprising: an oven rack adapted for positioning in anoven cavity, and having support extensions extending the length of theoven rack at each side thereof, and each support extension having atleast one first engagement section thereon; two telescoping extensionslides, a respective one corresponding to one of said support extensionsand each having at least one second engagement section for receivingsaid oven rack thereon through engagement between said at least onefirst engagement section of said support extensions and a correspondingone of said at least one second engagement section of a correspondingone of said two telescoping extension slides; and said two telescopingextension slides, each comprised of at least two sections, a firstsection constructed for being received in fixed position within the ovencavity in respective support slots in side walls of the oven cavity, andat least a second section slidably engaged with said first section, forsupporting said oven rack, and for allowing the oven rack to be slidablymoved out of the oven cavity.
 9. The extendable oven rack assembly ofclaim 8, wherein said telescoping extension slides include three slidesections, two of said sections slidable in relation to each other andwith respect to said first section.
 10. The extendable oven rackassembly of claim 8, wherein said oven rack includes at least one raisedwire section at the rear thereof for preventing articles supportedthereon from sliding off the rear of the rack.
 11. The extendable ovenrack assembly of claim 8, further including a tab extending from atleast one of said first sections in proximity to the rear thereof, andat least one corresponding spring clip extending from at least one ofsaid second sections for engaging with said tab when said oven rackassembly is fully retracted in the oven cavity for preventing the ovenrack from sliding out of the oven cavity.
 12. The extendable oven rackassembly of claim 8, wherein said first engagement section is a slot andsaid second engagement section is a raised projection for being receivedwithin said slot.
 13. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim 8, madeof steel of a type capable of withstanding maximum temperatures of anoven without substantial deterioration thereof.
 14. The extendable ovenrack assembly of claim 13, wherein said two telescoping extension slidesare coated with heat resistant grease at locations to facilitaterelative sliding between said at least two sections thereof.
 15. Theextendable oven rack assembly of claim 11, further including a secondtab extending from said first section in proximity to the front thereoffor engaging said spring clip for retaining said at least one of saidsecond oven sections in position relative to said at least one of saidfirst sections when said extendable rack assembly is in substantiallyfully extended position.
 16. The extendable oven rack assembly of claim8, further including a foot extending downwardly from each one of saidfirst sections of said telescoping extension slides, said foot having acutout therein for engaging a projection in support slots in side wallsof an oven cavity for preventing said first sections from sliding out ofthe oven cavity when said oven rack is moved outward from the ovencavity.